Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial 2009

We went to Boston for a
medical conference. We decided
to take a few extra days and see the
scenery. We decided to drive to
Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont to
see the birthplace of Joseph Smith.
Well, of course that's not where
the property is located. It is in a
small town called South Royalton.
Behind us stands the obelisk as
a memorial to Joseph Smith.

Barry stands in front of the monument.
It reads:
TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH SMITH
In the Spring of the years of our Lord 1820
The Father and Son appeared to him in
a glorious vision, called him by name
and instructed him. Thereafter
heavenly angels visited him and revealed
the principles of the Gospel,
restored the authority of the
Holy Priesthood. And the organization of
the Church of Jesus Christ in its fullness
and perfection. The engraved plates of
The Book of Mormon were given him by
the angel Moroni. These translated by
the gift and power of God. He organized
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
on the sixth day of April, 1830 with six
members. He devoted his life to the
establishment of this church and sealed
his testimony with his blood. In his
ministry he was constantly supported by
his brother Hyrum Smith, who suffered
martyrdom with him. Over a million converts
to this testimony have been made
throughout the world; and this monument
has been erected in his honor.


In 1884, LDS Church leader Junius F Wells
visited Smith's birthplace and conceived a
plan to build a monument to the Mormon
Prophet. Under the direction of church
presidentJoseph F. Smith, Wells oversaw the
construction of the monument in 1905. The
Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial was
dedicated by Joseph F. Smith on the
100th anniversary of Joseph Smith. Jr.'s birth,
December 23, 1905. The monument stands
50 feet tall and weighs around 100 tons.
The 40-ton shaft of the obelisk is
38 1/2 feet long: to commemorate
Joseph Smith's 38 1/2 years of life.
The obelisk was quarried in Barre, Vermont,
and is often cited as a "remarkable
engineering feat" and "one of the largest
polished shafts in the world."

The stone that Chris is sitting on is the front
step of the Solomon Mack home. Notice the
red & white mums behind me. The couple
missionaries were planting several mums while
we were there. It was beautiful!

Under Barry & Chris' feet the
plaque on the stone reads:
'This stone was the front doorstep of the
Solomon Mack home, where Joseph Smith
was born. It was also the back doorstep of the
cottage which stood here from
1905 until 1959.'

The plaque reads: This plaque marks the
place of the old Solomon Mack home where
rested the family hearthstone. (27 by
54 inches) now preserved in the New Bureau
of Information 200 feet south east from here.
Around this hearthstone and its glowing
fireplace, two days before Christmas 1805,
the Smith family washed, dressed, and
cuddled the future organizer of
"God's Kindgom Restored",
December 23, 1963.
The missionaries told us that Lucy insisted the
place of birth on Joseph's birth certificate
was to be Sharon..because he was born in the
back bedroom of the house. The dividing line
between South Royalton and Sharon ran
right through their house.


In memory of Joseph Smith, a great Prophet,
a granite monument was dedicated on the
100th anniversary of his birth. The shaft was ]
sculpted from a single granite block quarried in
Barre, Vermont, and is one of the largest
polished shafts in the world. The shaft traveled
by train to within about 5 miles from the site.
Then it was hauled by horse and wagon.
The last trip took around 5 days. This is the
story Barry & I remember being told.


Here is the Visitor's Center.


The Joseph Smith Memorial Birthplace
was so beautiful. It proved to not be a
good place to farm, so the Smith family
moved to many different places before
settling in Palmyra, New York, where
Joseph received his 1st vision
and the ancient record from the
Hill Cumorah.


It is interesting how the surrounding
area is probably still much the same
as it was in the Smiths' time. It
was very peaceful and serene.
Very low in population.


I could live in this place!


The road to the Memorial
was Gorgeous!

We were lucky to be there when the trees
were turning their beautiful colors!

Turnbridge Village Store, Turnbridge, Vermont,
where tradition says Joseph Smith Sr. met
Lucy Mack.


As we left the vicinity I had to take this
picture of the Sharon sign. It's an old city!

I'm very thankful to the Lord for Joseph Smith.
He brought the truth to us through great
personal sacrifice. He was a prophet of God
who gave us the truth of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
and the Kingdom of God here
on the earth.